How Did Donald Trump & Jerry Falwell Jr. Meet? Trump Gave A Speech On Falwell's Behalf

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The final round of speakers for the Republican National Convention will conclude with Donald Trump's official acceptance of the presidential nomination. Before this final event, Liberty University president and noteworthy evangelical conservative Jerry Falwell, Jr. will speak on Trump's behalf. Falwell's religious background appears to run counter to a lot of Trump's personal life as well as the ethics that inform his policy, but Falwell has supported Trump's candidacy from the beginning. With a bond that appears to be so unwavering, one might wonder: how did Donald Trump and Jerry Falwell, Jr. meet?

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images News/Getty ImagesLYNCHBURG, VA - JANUARY 18: Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Jr. introduces Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump with a sports jersey after he delivered the convocation in the Vines Center at the university January 18, 2016 in Lynchburg, Virginia. Although Falwell said the university does not endorse a particular candidate, he left no question as to who he is supporting in the 2016 presidential race. Highlighting Trump's conservative credentials, charity and politically incorrect speech, Falwell said, 'I see a lot of parallels between my father and Donald Trump.' (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Falwell's initial endorsement of Trump made waves within the Christian community, causing a bit of an uproar among Christian religious figures who view Trump's views and actions as un-Christian. In the aforementioned NPR interview, Falwell explained that, in this election, he believes "Evangelicals and conservatives are voting as Americans," choosing to prioritize "immigration," "terrorism," and "jobs" over the "social issues" that typically guide one's vote. Falwell believes there are more relevant issues to focus on that aren't explicitly dictated by his traditional, evangelical beliefs.

Falwell's faith in Trump remains unflappable. When Trump and Falwell met, Trump gave a speech for Falwell's university, and now it seems that Falwell is returning the favor tenfold by speaking on Trump's behalf at the convention. The meeting of minds and shared "business background" reveals that the two share more common ground than perceived. Falwell has said that Trump "lives a life of loving and helping others as Jesus taught in the great commandment" — the most glowing endorsement that a Christian, religious leader could be expected to give.